Speaker of the House threatens to fire federal employees who stage walkout over Gaza war

Employees of federal agencies vowed to a walkout, protesting Israel’s war on Hamas.

By JNS

The group Feds United for Peace told Al-Monitor it expects hundreds of government employees from 22 federal agencies to play hooky on Tuesday for a planned “Day of Mourning” to “mark 100 days of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.”

Employees of the Executive Office of the President, National Security Agency, and Departments of State, Defense, and Homeland Security have reportedly committed to the walkout, which “reflects mounting anger among U.S. officials over the Biden administration’s refusal to call for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza,” according to Al-Monitor.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) warned federal employees not to participate in the walkout.

“Any government worker who walks off the job to protest U.S. support for our ally Israel is ignoring their responsibility and abusing the trust of taxpayers. They deserve to be fired,” he wrote.

Johnson and Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), chairman of the House Oversight Committee, “will be working together to ensure that each federal agency initiates appropriate disciplinary proceedings against any person who walks out on their job,” the speaker added.